Nest in a bower of Breton roses at Thornrose house

La Gacilly, near Redon, Ille-et-Vilaine, Bretagne

Price
€399,000

Location

La Gacilly, near Redon, Ille-et-Vilaine, Bretagne

Introduction

Thornrose is a large 19th century home with six bedrooms, five full baths, stone walls and sturdy oak beams, tastefully renovated since 2019 and nestled in the rolling countryside of Bretagne. Thornrose lies just four minutes by car, or a half hour’s woodland walk, from the popular village of La Gacilly – a haven for artisans, and host to a renowned annual summer-long photo festival. The town is also home to the world famous Yves Rocher cosmetics company, with its herbal gardens, manufacturing campus, store, restaurants, Musee Immersé and eco-hôtel/spa, La Grée Des Landes. The area features extensive walking trails and important neolithic sites, including a prehistoric dolmen walking distance from the house. Twenty minutes away, the town of Redon offers ample shopping and medical resources, as well as a train station with free long term parking that serves Paris daily by TGV in 2-3 hours. Rennes, the capital of Bretagne, is about 40 minutes away by car, and Nantes is 40-50 minutes, both featuring airports. The house is roughly equidistant to both north and south Bretagne shores. The remarkable neolithic site of Carnac lies an hour to the west; while Mont St Michel and the Normandy invasion beaches are an easy day trip to the northeast. Ferries run frequently from north coast ports to England and Ireland.

Description

The lower levels of the maison are airy, with tall, beamed ceilings in the salon and kitchen/family rooms, and two ensuite bedrooms, each with private garden access. One of these two living/bedroom/bathroom sections could be carved off as a guest or rental suite, if desired. Two fireplaces, one at either end of the main floor, could be easily unsealed, requiring only minor cleaning and repair. One of them houses a decorative iron wood stove. An artisan stairway to an intermediate landing, which admits into a bright artist studio/bedroom on one side and a bed/bath suite on the other. From there, the stairs ascend to the top floor, whose bold, open plan boasts a large master bed/bathroom and a large 3-panel stained glass interior window. Opening off the master suite through glass doors is a small guest or office suite, featuring two more stained glass windows and a beautiful view across the countryside. The house includes an attached garage, currently outfitted as a full woodworking shop, as well as on-site parking for two more vehicles. An area of adjacent frontage could be converted to additional parking space if desired.

Exterior

Thornrose is set on a mostly flat half-acre lot. The garden features the extensive rose plantings in front and back for which the house is named, as well as many other decorative plantings. Several orchard trees grace the rear garden, including apples and a fig, while hydrangeas flower opulently in the spring and summer. A venerable grape vine climbs the house’s front facade, and a Mirabelle plum tree shades the driveway. Flat space for a pool installation is also available in the protected side garden. Rear and side views, both at ground level and from the upstairs floors, stretch for miles over the pastoral landscapes roundabout.

Other information

The maison has been extensively remodeled, with ample insulation, double-glazed windows and doors throughout, a heat pump, and large additions to living space laid out in a bold, open plan. Broadband internet is arriving this year, though the house is served already by Starlink. The house is available either fully furnished, to welcome you in comfort from day one, or empty, for you to adorn in your own unique way.